The posting
ICF’s Technology and Products team is seeking a On-call Software Engineer, Cloud Data Platform to help build, enhance, and support a cloud-hosted relational database platform for acoustic-telemetry fish-tracking research in California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
This role will focus on the core engineering work needed to turn post-processed fish detection data into reliable, usable data products, including ingestion pipelines, relational data models, validation logic, reporting views, exports, APIs, and production support.
You will work alongside fish biologists, data scientists, senior engineers, and a state agency client to move the platform from design through go-live and into production support. This is a hands-on engineering role where you will contribute to platform design, implementation, and operations with guidance from senior technical leads.
This is a remote, on-call role that provides flexibility to work from 0 to 40 hours per week.
About On-Call Employment with ICF
Given the seasonal and project-specific nature of this work, ICF often hires professionals as “On-Call” employees. On-Call employees are scheduled for work hours as they become available. ICF usually schedules work hours a few weeks ahead of time, and each on-call employee is free to accept or refuse the hours assigned to them in a given week. On-Call employees may work concurrent projects outside their ICF assignment as long as the outside work does not create a conflict of interest.
Key Responsibilities
Platform, data, and operations
- Translate scientific, regulatory, and analytical needs into clear technical requirements in partnership with biologists, data scientists, agency staff, client stakeholders, and senior technical team members.
- Contribute to the design, build, and support of a cloud-hosted relational database platform for acoustic-telemetry fish-tracking data.
- Build and maintain relational data models, ingestion workflows, ETL/ELT pipelines, validation logic, and data quality controls for high-volume telemetry detection data.
- Develop reporting views, aggregations, exports, APIs, and structured access patterns that support downstream modeling, analysis, and non-SQL users.
- Support platform performance, security, access controls, monitoring, backups, retention, documentation, and production operations during go-live and ongoing hosting.
- Help support a natural-language query interface by contributing to schema grounding, result validation, access safeguards, and accuracy guardrails.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is required.
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, including hands-on experience with relational database systems such as PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Azure SQL, or similar platforms.
- Hands-on experience supporting or contributing to cloud-hosted data platforms on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Strong SQL skills and experience with relational data modeling, data ingestion pipelines, ETL/ELT, and data quality validation.
- Proficiency in at least one modern backend language such as Python, TypeScript/Node, C#, or Java.
- Experience building or maintaining APIs, export capabilities, or reporting views that make structured data available to technical and non-technical users.
- Ability to work independently with guidance, collaborate on a remote team, and communicate clearly with non-engineering collaborators, including scientists, analysts, and client stakeholders.
Preferred Skills / Experience
- Experience working with environmental, scientific, telemetry, sensor, time-series, or geospatial datasets; familiarity with acoustic telemetry or fisheries data is a plus.
- Exposure to large language models, natural-language interfaces, or tools that make structured data easier for non-technical users to access.
- Familiarity with public-sector clients or working under state or federal contracts.
- Experience with infrastructure as code, CI/CD, observability, monitoring, or operational support tooling.
- Experience supporting multidisciplinary teams that include biologists, researchers, quantitative modelers, analysts, data scientists, or subject matter experts.
Bot and Third-Party Applications
Please note that this application must be submitted directly by the applicant for consideration. Failure to do so may result in the application being excluded for consideration. Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact [email protected] for assistance.
Working at ICF
ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we’re not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.
We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read our EEO policy.
We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to assist. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
Read more about workplace discrimination rights or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act.
Candidate AI Usage Policy
At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.
However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodation that involves the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at [email protected]. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.
Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.
The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is:
$98,614.00 - $167,644.00
Nationwide Remote Office (US99)
